Twas just before Christmas, when all through the house, no trouble was stirring, not even a louse.
And then the water came, and came and came.
“It was like Niagara Falls,” said Phoebe Lumsden, recalling the wall of water that came rushing through the ceiling in her condominium at MacPherson Meadows.
It was five days before Christmas and she and twin sister Ruth Gregoire were looking forward to another peaceful holiday. But the Grinch would have nothing of the sort.
It started with an “awful bang” that shook the condominium. Startled, Lumsden immediately walked around the unit to investigate, but found nothing. Then she saw it – water streaming down the patio door and leaking from the ceiling. Soon there was an inch of water on the floor, creeping all the way up to her piano in the living room. Water was also pouring through the ceiling fan.
Lumsden was helpless to do anything but call for emergency responders. Four members of the Oliver Fire Department arrived and one of them managed to gain access to the unit above in order to shut off the water. Apparently a reverse osmosis water tank ruptured and caused the leak. Lumsden said the owner was away for Christmas and did not shut her water off. Needless to say, the owner was so embarrassed and apologetic when she returned.
Lumsden said she was told by firefighters that they couldn’t stay in their condominium for fear the ceiling might collapse. So she and Gregoire left and took up the neighbour’s offer of dinner.
“These are such dear ladies. I feel so bad,” said neighbour Roanda Bartley. “I was a bit traumatized for them. This couldn’t have come at a worse time.”
Bartley gave the twins some colouring books to keep them busy over the holidays at Cactus Tree Inn where they are staying.
The sisters will be living there for a month while their condominium is drying out. The wooden floor and part of the stained ceiling will have to be replaced, but fortunately their insurance will cover it.
Lumsden said she doesn’t blame “Sandy,” the woman whose water tank exploded. She noted the woman gave her some good advice on what to take to the inn, and she stored the sisters’ frozen food in her freezer while the power was out.
“I don’t want anyone to blame her,” Lumsden stressed.
Gregoire admitted the incident could have been a lot worse – a fire or a home invasion, for example.
“We are grateful for that,” she said.
“This was just a bloody inconvenience,” Lumsden noted.
“Accidents don’t discriminate,” Gregoire added.
Gregoire joked by saying they weren’t sure if Santa would be able to find them this Christmas after being uprooted from their home. But he did.
Lumsden said they are “old and cranky” and maybe had this coming, but Santa still found them at the inn.
Maybe it was the five Christmas concerts they performed with Sage Valley Voices that showed Santa their good hearts.
By Lyonel Doherty
